Nominations

🏨 Soumitra Saha promoted to CFO of UAE-based TIME Hotels, set to oversee financial operations, strategic analysis, and risk assessment. Formerly Vice President of Finance after joining in 2022, with over 35 years of industry experience, including work with Oberoi, Leela, Hyatt, and Mövenpick, Saha contributed to TIME Hotels' impressive revenue and operational profitability. TIME Hotels plans to expand by adding 12 new properties by the first quarter of 2026 to its current 17 hotels, totaling over 3,000 keys, across Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Morocco, and the Indian Ocean.

📝 Goran Stojkovic has been appointed as General Manager of SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences, succeeding Spencer Wadama who now manages W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island. Stojkovic is a seasoned professional with nearly 20 years in luxury hospitality, much of it in Dubai. Since 2015, he has climbed the ranks within Marriott, working at The St. Regis, The Ritz-Carlton, Sheraton, and Renaissance Hotels, and was instrumental in the transformation of Grand Millennium Business Bay. Despite leaving Marriott, Stojkovic will continue to call Dubai "home" and aims to evolve the lifestyle experience.

🏢 Pedro Novo, an expert in financing, export, and high-impact project development, has taken on a panafrican real estate strategy for Axian. Led by Hassanein Hiridjee, Axian was founded 30 years ago in Madagascar and is now a strong panafrican presence in telecoms, energy, finance, and fintech. The real estate sector, previously modest, boasts about 200,000 m² of diversified assets including offices, retail, housing, and hospitality, aiming to transform urban landscapes and address economic and climate challenges across 17 African countries.

🏡 Fabrice Colomba started as the head of Cap Hornu hotel-restaurant in Saint-Valery-sur-Somme since April 1, 2025. The property boasts 90 rooms, a bistronomic restaurant, seminar rooms with views of the Baie de Somme, a heated outdoor pool, a boulodrome, bike rentals, and a 15-hectare park. At 57, Colomba, with extensive industry experience, plans to modernize the offerings. The site is managed by Syndicat mixte Baie de Somme – Grand Littoral Picard, encompassing eighteen Picard coastal towns.

🍴 Meliá Hotels International expands in Asia, opening Meliá Pattaya with 234 rooms. Peter Laird, with over 20 years of high-level hospitality experience in Europe and Asia, including Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort and Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, is appointed F&B Director to enhance culinary offerings. With expertise in both Western and Asian cultures, Laird aims to bolster the hotel's attractiveness through exceptional operational excellence and multicultural cuisine creation.

💸 Omni Hotels & Resorts appointed Adam Hayashi as Chief Revenue Officer, responsible for revenue optimization and market positioning. Hayashi, with over 20 years in the hospitality sector, previously served as Accor's Global VP of Revenue Management, Distribution, and Business Intelligence, managing over 120 Fairmont and Raffles establishments. He's recognized for developing strategic intelligence tools and enhancing distribution systems, and will report directly to Omni's Chief Commercial Officer, Jeff Doane.

🏨 Ruby Group appoints Fabian Zellinger as Chief Growth & Innovation Officer (CGIO) to foster global growth strategy, enhance collaboration, and support long-term development ambitions. Ruby adopts a "Lean Luxury" philosophy, focusing on essential high-quality hospitality at affordable prices in prime urban locations. The group, under CEO Michael Struck, is expanding rapidly, buoyed by a strategic partnership with IHG Hotels & Resorts. Zellinger, with over six years at Ruby Group and a standing executive committee member, takes charge of growth and technology departments, following Isabell Fuss's departure for new professional opportunities.

🏦 Philippe Vignon was appointed as the new General Director of Glion Institute of Higher Education effective from June 16, 2025. Glion, founded in 1962 in Switzerland, is globally recognized for excellence in hospitality management and luxury education. Vignon, with over 30 years of experience leading international organizations in various industries, including tourism and education, is set to enhance Glion's global brand and drive its next development phase.

🏠 Nathalie Delattre, French Minister of Tourism, officially renewed the prestigious 'distinction Palace' for eight emblematic Parisian hotels following the unanimous recommendation of the Commission Palace on March 11. Atout France's Commission Palace convened for the first time to evaluate renewal applications, granting a three-year title retention to: Four Seasons Hôtel George V, Hôtel de Crillon, Hôtel La Réserve Paris, Le Bristol Paris, Hôtel Le Meurice, The Peninsula Paris, Hôtel Plaza Athénée, and Hôtel Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris. All 31 currently labeled Palace establishments have applied for renewal, with the mountain Palaces to be reviewed in mid-April. Current distinctions remain valid until the official renewal decision.

🎓 Philippe Vignon appointed as the new CEO of the Glion Institute of Higher Education starting June 16, 2025. Vignon, with over 30 years of diverse sector experience—including tourism, aviation, digital media, and education—aims to expand Glion's global presence and academic brand. He has held transformative roles at Geneva Tourism, Edipresse Digital, EasyJet, and L'Oréal Suisse. His role at Glion will oversee campuses in Switzerland and the UK, foster strategic partnerships, and support innovation in hospitality and luxury education.